Imran Khan Returned to Adiala Jail After Medical Examination, Declared ‘Medically Fit’
Imran Khan Returned to Adiala Jail After Medical Examination
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was returned to Adiala Jail early on Friday after undergoing a court-ordered medical examination, with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar saying doctors had declared him medically fit. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Khan was taken from the prison in Rawalpindi during the early hours of August 21 following the Supreme Court’s order for his medical assessment.
According to Tarar, a team of specialist doctors, including an ophthalmologist, cardiologist and physician, conducted a detailed examination before Khan was taken back to prison at around 5am.
The government said Khan was medically fit following the assessment.
Government Says Khan Was Examined at PIMS
In a statement, Tarar initially confirmed that Khan had been taken to hospital under appropriate security arrangements.
In a subsequent clarification, he said the examination was conducted at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, with doctors from Shifa International Hospital also present.
Tarar said the decision to use PIMS was taken because of security concerns linked to the route to and area around Shifa International Hospital.
Earlier reports and Khan’s party had said that the former prime minister had been taken to Shifa International Hospital, as ordered by the Supreme Court. This has resulted in differing accounts over the precise location of the examination.
Khan’s sister, Uzma Khan, was also present during the medical examination and treatment process, according to the information minister.
Supreme Court Had Ordered Hospital Transfer
The medical examination followed a Supreme Court order issued earlier this week directing authorities to transfer Khan from Adiala Jail to Shifa International Hospital for medical assessment and treatment.
The three-member bench had ordered a medical board to assess Khan’s condition, with his personal physician and sister also allowed to participate in the process.
The court’s intervention came after Khan’s family and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) representatives raised concerns about his health in prison, including reported problems with his eyesight.
The court had also allowed Khan to remain in hospital until the next hearing, scheduled for September 16, 2026, subject to further directions.
Government’s Review Petition Returned
The federal government had challenged the Supreme Court’s order, arguing that the decision to send Khan to a private hospital raised legal questions concerning the treatment of prisoners.
The government filed a review petition seeking modification of the order.
However, the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office returned the petition after raising objections, according to reports.
The government had argued that prisoners requiring medical treatment should be dealt with under the relevant prison rules and that Khan had previously received medical care while in custody.
Security Tightened Around Hospital
Khan’s movement from Adiala Jail was carried out under heavy security.
Police and other security personnel were deployed around the hospital and along the route as authorities sought to prevent possible gatherings and maintain order.
PTI had urged its supporters not to gather outside the medical facility after the Supreme Court ordered Khan’s transfer.
The government later said the security situation around Shifa was one of the reasons for conducting the examination at PIMS instead.
PTI Raises Questions Over Return to Jail
The former prime minister’s party has continued to raise concerns about his health and the conditions of his imprisonment.
PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja said it was too early to determine whether Khan could eventually be moved from prison to another location, such as his Bani Gala residence.
He said another building could potentially be declared a sub-jail if medical experts concluded that returning Khan to prison would be harmful to his health.
Debate Over Khan’s Future
The latest development has added another layer to the political and legal uncertainty surrounding Khan.
His supporters have repeatedly demanded better medical treatment and greater access to his family and doctors, while the government has maintained that medical facilities are being provided whenever required.
Meanwhile, close Khan aide Zulfi Bukhari told Reuters that Khan would not seek confrontation with Pakistan’s military leadership if released.
Bukhari described the Supreme Court’s intervention as a “new ray of hope” and suggested that PTI leaders could become more active politically if Khan’s circumstances improve.
Imran Khan Remains in Adiala Jail
Khan, 73, has been imprisoned since August 2023 following convictions in several cases. He and his PTI party have described the cases as politically motivated, while Pakistan’s authorities have rejected that claim.
For now, the former prime minister remains at Adiala Jail, after spending only a short period outside the prison for his latest medical assessment.
The immediate focus is now on the findings of the medical examination, any further directions from the Supreme Court and whether Khan will receive additional treatment or be allowed greater medical access in the coming weeks.
The conflicting reports over whether the examination took place at Shifa International Hospital or PIMS also remain a notable part of the latest development, with the government maintaining that PIMS was used because of security concerns.
